Dietary Habits and Prognostic Factors in Breast Cancer

The relationship between dietary habits and prognostic factors for breast cancer was studied in 240 women aged 50–65 years who had surgery for breast cancer between 1983 and 1986. A dietary history interview was conducted within the 4 months following resection of the primary tumor. In the stepwise multivariate analysis, the multiple-odds ratio ($OR^$)for having a tumor ≥20 mm in diameter was 0.95 (95% confidence interval, 0.91–0.99) for each 1-g increase in fiber intake per 10 MJ of energy intake. Compared with patients having tumors poor in estrogen receptor (ER), those having ER-rich tumors (≥0.10 fmol/μg of DNA) were older (P < .01) and reported carbohydrate intake yielding higher E% (percentage of total energy intake) (P < .01) and higher retinol intake per 10 MJ (P < .05). The $OR^$for having an ER-rich tumor was 1.58 (95% confidence interval, 1.08–2.31) for each 1-mg increase in retinol intake per 10 MJ; 1.09 (95% confidence interval, 1.02–1.16) for each additional year of age; and 1.08 (95% confidence interval, 1.02–1.13) for each 1% increment in E% from carbohydrates. These results suggest that the dietary patterns of the western world (e.g., high fat intake and low intake of carbohydrates and fiber) affect certain prognostic factors in breast cancer, such as tumor size and ER content of the tumor. [J Natl Cancer Inst 81:1218–1223, 1989]